Beyond the Heat Index: Mapping Socio-Demographic Modifiers (Age, Gender, Migration) in the Occupational Heat-Injury Nexus. A Scoping Review.

This scoping review aims to map the existing literature on the association between occupational heat exposure and traumatic work-related injuries, specifically analyzing how socio-demographic variables (age, gender, and migrant status) act as effect modifiers or vulnerability factors. While the physiological link between heat stress and heat-related illnesses (e.g., heat stroke) is well-documented, the impact of thermal stress on safety incidents and traumatic injuries (e.g., falls, lacerations, machinery accidents) among vulnerable worker populations remains fragmented. This review will synthesize global evidence to identify whether specific subgroups face a disproportionate risk under rising ambient temperatures.